Christmas according to Lucy Messer
by dl-shipper34
Summary: This was the time of year Lucy Messer loved best: Christmas. Oneshot.


A/N: As I love writing Christmas stories, here is a oneshot I've been working on for a while now. However you celebrate the holidays, may it be happy and safe.

All mistakes are mine. Enjoy!

* * *

Christmas According to Lucy Messer

New York City was a marvellous sight to behold regardless of the season, be it in the middle of a scorching summer day or a winter storm cloaking all five boroughs in a blanket of blinding white snow. The humid temperatures were long gone as chilly air moved its way into the bustling city, gently pushing aside the spookiness of Halloween and preparing residents for yet another holiday that was far more stressful that simply dishing out chocolates to little ones. In addition, this was the time of year Lucy Messer loved best: Christmas.

She wasn't sure why she adored the holiday season so much. Maybe it had something to do with the endless sea of decorations and lights ordaining nearly every building and store front, or perhaps it was the enticing smell of freshly-baked cookies rising from bakeries all over the city. Of course it was probably the gigantic tree in Rockefeller Center, her current position. It towered over her and everyone else on the skating rink, almost as if it were protecting them from any danger. Although she loved all the lights, Lucy was especially fond of the lit star at the very top of the tree. It reminded her of the one she had back home.

Oddly enough, the rink at Rockefeller Center was not all that crowded. This didn't bother Lucy in the slightest as it allowed her sufficient room to practice her emerging skating skills. She was determined to be a powerful skater like her father, whom she had witnessed playing hockey several times. She had even mentioned that she wished to learn how to play the sport, a statement that had caused her dads brilliant eyes to light up.

A small fountain of snow sprayed into the air as she stopped, the blades of her skates digging into the ice and creating permanent scars. Holding her head up proudly, the youngster flashed a gorgeous smile - this she had inherited from both parents - and looked to her mother for approval. "Did you see that Mom? I stopped!"

Bending down on one knee, Lindsay Messer kissed her daughter's forehead tenderly and gave a mischievous wink. "Don't tell Daddy, but I think you could skate circles around him."

"I heard that." A muscular hand appeared in Lindsay's vision, and she glanced up into the twinkling eyes of her husband.

Lucy burst into a fit of giggles, her breath visible in the chilly winter air. "Busted!"

Danny Messer's famous grin spread across his handsome features as his wife slid her hand into his, shivering at the contact even though they were both wearing gloves. He winked cheerily. "Don't worry Moo, I can't get mad at your mom. She's too adorable."

Another round of giggles escaped from the young girl. Danny and Lindsay often referred to their daughter as "Moo", although no one - including Lucy - really knew how it came to be. She thought it was possibly due to the word rhyming with Lu, another nickname her parents called her albeit not nearly as popular. However it came into existence, one thing was for certain: Lucy loved the name.

As Christmas music filled the night air and lights twinkled like hundreds of stars that had mysteriously fallen from the sky, the Messer family took to another round of skating.

* * *

The thought of being so high off solid ground didn't entirely sit well with Lucy, but she temporarily forgot this fear as her young eyes drank in the magnificent sight. After the sun had made its descent and the ever-mysterious moon had taken its place in the uncharted vaults, New York City had practically exploded with light. Almost - if not all - every single building was aglow, and if she looked carefully she could see a sparkling Times Square. A tall structure bathed in red, white, and green stood in front of them, and she inquired about it to her parents.

"That's the Empire State Building," Danny explained patiently. "Every year on Valentine's Day lots of couples get married on its observation deck, similar to the one we're on now."

"Wow!" Lucy immediately perked up at this new piece of information. "That would be so cool! Can I get married up there?"

Lindsay, who was right beside her husband as always, nearly doubled over with laughter. Danny was fiercely protective of his little girl - he had even mentioned outfitting her with body armour once she became a teenager - and he certainly didn't like any guys passing comments about her. It was bad enough she and a boy in her class were pals.

"You're a bit young to be thinkin' about that. Besides, remember what I told you about boys?"

This did not deter Lucy, however, and she tapped her chin lightly with an index finger as if she were deep in thought. Finally she motioned to her mother to bend down, and the youngster whispered something in her ear. A few seconds passed before Lindsay winked and reared back up to her full height. Danny had a suspicion on what his daughter said, but he kept it to himself for the time being.

The family fell silent then, admiring the many lights that adorned their city. As it had been since their wedding day and no matter where they went outside of the lab, Danny and Lindsay held hands. While at work they often stole kisses or brief touches on the arm or shoulder, but while they liked those they loved holding hands. It felt as natural as breathing.

Lindsay snuggled deeper into her husband's side, enjoying the invasion of personal space. As cliché as it might sound, she couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

* * *

Sipping on the last remnants of her now cold coffee, Jo studied a file containing information about their current case. From hooded lids she could see Mac, sitting across from her at his large desk, rub his temple in frustration. They were attempting to solve a murder that was quickly proving to be rather difficult.

"What I wouldn't give to be walking in Central Park right now with Christine."

Jo looked up, wearing a brilliant smile. "I knew it. You really are just a big teddy bear."

A knock on the glass door interrupted Mac before he could reply, and he waved a hand to notify the guest it was okay to enter. His strong eyes fell upon those of Lucy, who pushed the door open with eager hands. "Well there's a pretty sight. How are you Lucy?"

The young girl was obviously excited about something, and she showed it by grabbing Jo's hand and gently pulling, as if she wanted to reveal a secret. "Can't tell you. It's a surprise."

As soon as Jo stood up, Lucy ran over to Mac and tugged on his arm. "C'mon Uncle Mac, I really want to show you. It took us a long time."

"Whatever it is, I doubt it'll be as beautiful as you." The older man took his Goddaughter's hand in his and allowed her to lead the way, winking knowingly to Jo as all three left his office.

Even before they turned the corner, Mac could see the brightly-lit faux Christmas tree. There were so many ornaments on the thing its branches were barely visible: snowman with stick arms bundled up with all the usual clothing, penguins holding snowflakes above their heads, brilliant cardinals on a snow-covered birdhouse, glass pinecones that glittered when the light struck them at just the right angle, and balls of every size and colour imaginable. On the floor underneath the tree presents sat waiting as if they were eagerly anticipating the day they'd be ripped open, and at the top was a golden star encased with numerous colours of lights. To add to the stunning beauty, red-and-white garland had been wrapped around the entire tree. Although he had seen Lucy decorating the tree with her parents in the last few days, Mac had quietly kept this to himself and was seeing the finished product for the first time.

"What do you think?" Lucy lightly pulled on Mac's hand, patiently waiting for his reaction.

Mac bent down to her eye level and - other than the day she was born and meeting Christine - revealed a smile larger than anyone in the room had ever witnessed. "I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, other than you of course."

Lindsay gazed at her daughter in admiration. "It was all her idea too. We had an extra tree lying around and she didn't want it for her room, so she suggested we bring it here."

Jo nodded in agreement as she took Lucy's small hand in hers and squeezed gently. "And she did a simply marvelous job."

The five-year-old grinned and pointed to her mothers desk on which sat five cups filled with a steaming beverage. "I know you and Uncle Mac are working, but do you have a second for some hot chocolate?"

Jo smiled as she briefly released Lucy's hand and accepted the hot drink from Danny. "For you my dear, two seconds."

* * *

A tantalizing aroma rose to the ceiling of the Messer kitchen, which resembled that of a tank rolling through a street and demolishing everything in its path. Sticky pieces of cookie dough clung to almost every surface, including Lucy's nose and cheeks. Using a small finger, she wiped the mess off her face and promptly licked it, smiling at the irresistible taste. She then returned to sucking on a candy cane she was sharing with her father. The Messer family was in the process of baking sugar cookies as part of a delicious Christmas treat. Every holiday - or at least as long as Lucy could remember - they had mixed and stirred, measured and poured, decorated and ate the famous cookie. She had even brought up the idea of making a batch to bring in to the lab, something her parents had immediately agreed to.

As both Danny and Lindsay had just witnessed firsthand, icing and a five-year-old didn't exactly mingle. Regardless of the gigantic mess in their kitchen they were having a grand old time decorating the cookies, which had been cooling for a little while on the table. Lucy continued to suck on the candy cane as she snatched up the bag of green icing and squeezed with eager hands. Unfortunately she was a bit too enthusiastic and the sweet frosting practically exploded onto the cookie, covering it entirely in green.

Ever the resourceful one, Lucy used a plastic knife to wipe off the excess icing and spread it onto several other cookies. She then took a handful of Christmas-coloured sprinkles and lightly dusted the icing with them.

Nodding in approval at what she had just accomplished, she bit eagerly into the cookie. After swallowing she licked her lips in satisfaction. "Yummy!"

When several of the cookies had been iced, decorated, and eaten, and the others had been packaged in a container, it was time for the not-so-fun part: cleaning up. With three sets of hands it went by fairly quickly, and before any of them realized it the entire kitchen was back to normal. Prior to baking the goods, Lucy had inquired about finishing their tree as the big day was rapidly approaching.

As Lindsay got to work making hot chocolate for them all, Lucy wrapped her small fingers around those of her fathers and led him to the main room.

* * *

Lindsay watched her inseparable husband and daughter take turns decorating the tree, quietly drinking her cinnamon-sprinkled hot chocolate and unable to hold back a smile. Whenever Lucy wanted to place an ornament near the top, Danny would lift her up so she could reach. Before he placed her back on solid ground, he'd give her a kiss on either her cheeks or nose. This would elicit a giggle from the five-year-old, who'd in return wrap her small arms around her father's neck.

_Has it really been five years? _Lindsay thought to herself. Just yesterday it felt like Danny had pulled the trick on her at the zoo, where she had mistakenly called Mac "sir" thanks to his mischievousness. She had grown since then, although she hadn't really given much thought to her future when it came to having a family. A part of her had always wanted to be a mom, to possess the same bond with her daughter as she had had with her late mother. Now that she had her own family, she really was living her dream. On top of having a beautiful daughter, she had a devoted and loving husband.

A shiver of delight ran through her body as she touched the ring, its diamond gleaming in the light from the tree. Danny had never been one for romance yet his promise on their wedding day had to be one of the most romantic things she had ever heard him say. How they didn't tear up through it all she'd never know, especially when Danny revealed she was everything he's always wanted. Throughout their transition from friends to lovers she had always been the hesitant one, unsure of whether or not she should just close her eyes and take that leap. But Danny had promised to be there, to patiently wait until she was ready to jump. Now that she had, she couldn't have imagined a better life.

Danny was far from perfect, but it was this imperfection - amongst other things - that made her love him with every ounce of her being.

* * *

Like miniature dancers each unique snowflake twirled and tumbled from the heavens, landing daintily on the ground for a split second before melting into oblivion. The outside world had been completely transformed from a light dusting to the mysterious invader quietly sweeping in with an enormous paintbrush and coating everything a sparkling white. Once-bare trees now stood with snow lining their branches as flakes glittered in the rays radiating from the streetlights. It was as if a holiday story from Lucy's bookshelf had come to life: snow was falling on Christmas Eve.

The family was currently situated on her bed, curled up together as Danny and Lindsay took turns reading Moon and Star, Lucy's favourite Christmas story. She was snuggled in between them, holding Spring the stuffed otter - named for the season in which her birthday fell upon, as the toy had been a gift from Sid - and wearing her comfortable pink snowman pajamas.

A single tear suddenly fell from her right eye, and Danny paused in mid-sentence to pose a question he already knew the answer to. "What's the matter Moo?"

Lucy sniffed, gazed up at her father with a pair of huge dark eyes, and simply stated, "This is a sad part."

Danny used his thumb to vanquish the tear. "But you already know how it ends."

"I know. I'm just sad about Star. She's a pretty cat."

Lindsay lightly squeezed Lucy's hand and offered a comforting smile. "Would it help if we skipped to the end?"

The young girl shook her head as she clutched Spring close to her chest. "No thank you. I love this story even though it makes me cry sometimes."

Lindsay could not conceal a smile while Danny continued reading the magical tale. Thanks to Lucy always requesting the book be read on Christmas Eve, she had found herself becoming a fan of the heart-warming story that had become a tradition of theirs since her daughter's first Christmas. She hoped that one day Lucy would pass on the book to her own son or daughter.

"...they looked as if they were cradled by all the stars in heaven." Danny carefully closed the book, knowing how precious it was to his daughter. It was also clear to him and Lindsay that she was bravely fighting an approaching slumber, as her eyelids drooped heavily and a yawn escaped her throat.

"Do you love that story Mommy?"

Lindsay smiled and kissed her forehead lovingly. "Very much, but I love my little Moo even more."

"What about you Daddy?"

After putting the book back in its proper place, Danny encased his daughter in a hug and pressed his lips to her cheek. "I love you and Mommy very much too. Lay your head on your pillow and we'll pull the blankets up."

Lucy did just this, still struggling to remain awake. Once she and Spring were completely covered in a warm duvet her parents kissed her again, hovering proudly over her. "Night Mommy, night Daddy. Love you. Merry Christmas."

"We love you too sweetheart. Now get some sleep so you're well-rested for tomorrow morning; Santa will be here soon. Merry Christmas Lucy."

With the comforting sound of her mothers voice ringing in her young ears, Lucy immediately fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

When the bedroom door was almost closed - Lucy had always asked for it to be slightly open - Danny gently nudged his wife and spoke in a low voice as to not wake their sleeping daughter. "So what did she tell you that was such a big secret?"

Lindsay instinctively knew what he was referring to, however she decided to play the fool and shrugged in mock confusion. "Beats me. Have you been drinking that eggnog again?"

He wrapped his arms around her slim figure, pulling her in close so they were pressed up against each other. He could feel the warmth of her body through her pajamas, which she had changed into before helping to read the Christmas tale to Lucy. The sultry reply that rang in her ear caused chills to crawl up and down her spine like invisible serpents. "Do I have to wrestle the information out of you? Please say yes."

She wiggled her eyebrows mischievously. "If I tell you, can we still wrestle?"

"Depends. Does the wrestling involve removal of clothes?"

"Danny!"

"What? She won't hear us."

Lindsay jokingly sighed in exasperation and cupped his cheeks with both her hands. "How do I put up with you?"

He smiled devilishly. "Consider it my delightful charm. So what did she say? You know I won't stop buggin' you about it."

"Oh I know," Lindsay grinned back before pressing her lips to his in a brief but loving kiss. When they had separated, she looked into his eyes and flashed a cheeky grin. "Mm, how about my husband takes me to bed first? Then I'll reveal the little secret you so desperately wish to hear."

"Anything for my hot wife." Without warning Danny bent down and swept her off her feet, carrying her exactly like the time they had walked across a rooftop of an apartment building while attempting to solve a murder case. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed in his familiar scent, as usual enjoying the close contact.

He carried her to their room - kissing her the entire way - where he gently laid her on the bed and proceeded to change into his flannel pants and wife beater. Lindsay's roving eyes studied his sleek frame, almost as if they were tracing over each individual muscle and tendon. Simultaneously his gaze wandered over her curves, and he silently thanked the fortunes that he was lucky enough to be married to such an amazing woman.

Danny climbed into bed beside her, smiling at the return of physical contact. Like he had done every night since their wedding he held her in his arms so they were facing each other. He had not forgotten her promise but didn't say anthing, instead choosing to enjoy an intimate moment with his beautiful wife. "Merry Christmas Montana."

She didn't reply, and even in the darkness he could see she was already drifting off. He quickly found himself struggling to remain awake so he could ask Lindsay what Lucy had told her, but sleep could be very determined when it wanted to. As he started to follow her his wife he heard her voice from somewhere far away. What she said made his heart leap and a smile grow on his face until it appeared as if both corners of his lips were touching his ears.

"Merry Christmas Danny, and by the way she mentioned that we should get married again. This time at the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day."


End file.
